O.Thetford, P.Gray German Aircraft of the First World War (Putnam)

Albatros D V and Va

In answer to the ascendancy which the S.E. 5s and Spads of the Allies were gaining over the Albatros D IIIs, the mid-summer of 1917 saw the introduction of the D V from the Albatros stable. In the event, the D V did not prove to have sufficient increase in performance to restore the balance of power in favour of the German Air Corps. Nevertheless, orders were put in hand for vast quantities, presumably on the theory that sufficient numbers would overwhelm any opposition, even if of superior calibre. In the autumn of 1917 the supply of D Vs was supplemented, and eventually replaced, by the D Va, which (as will be explained) differed very little from its predecessor. In an endeavour to obtain an increased performance from a more-or-less standardised airframe,a major re-design of the fuselage was undertaken. This dispensed with the flat sides of the D I/D III series and introduced a more truly elliptical section, endowing the fuselage with a more refined and pleasing appearance. An additional longeron was necessary along the centre-line on each side of the fuselage, which was wider than on the D III. A spinner of increased diameter was also fitted. A headrest was incorporated in the design of the new fuselage, but as it tended to restrict rearward vision, it was often removed on active service. The prototype D V had a D III type rudder, but thereafter the more familiar rounded rudder was fitted. The tailplane and elevator were interchangeable with those of the D III, but the under-fin was modified, its trailing edge being raked back at some 45° instead of vertical as before. The ailerons of the D V also departed from previous practice. The cables now ran through the top wing (and not the bottom as before), where they angled back through 90° and were locked on to pulleys to the aileron leading edge. Small shrouds covered the cables where they emerged through the wing surface. The wing itself was otherwise identical in shape, dimensions and construction with that of the D III, retaining the Teeves and Braun radiator in the starboard side of the centre-section. The D Va revived the D III type aileron modus operandi, with the cables running through the lower wing, the only difference being a slightly shortened operating crank. The wings were, in fact, interchangeable with those of the D III. As in the D V, D Vas were seen both with and without headrests, and the only certain means of distinguishing one from the other was by the location of the aileron control wires. As compared with the D III type, the gap of the D V and Va types was reduced by some 4 in.; the wing structures were otherwise the same except in the aileron operation. The unfortunate tendency to break up in a prolonged dive remained, and at the time the reason for this was not fully understood. Although static load tests confirmed that the structural strength of the lower wings was more than sufficient, it was found at a later date that the single spar was positioned too far aft. This caused vibrations which, in a long dive, increased proportionately, eventually resulting in wing failure. A partial cure, or at least an increased safety margin, was achieved by lilting a short auxiliary strut from the leading edge to the vee interplane strut. Even then, pilots were advised not to over-dive their Albatroses. The effect upon morale of such a restriction on a vital combat manoeuvre may well be imagined. The Albatros D V first entered service in May 1917, and from the middle of 1917, as the number of Jagdstaffeln increased, so they were equipped with Albatros types except for the units that also had Pfalz D III and Fokker Dr Is on their strength. Of all the Jastas that were eventually raised in readiness for the March 1918 offensive, it may be safely said that all, at one time or another, flew either Albatros D III, D V or D Va, some having a "mixed bag" of all types. Vast numbers were operated and, as if to counteract their structural shortcomings, many were adorned with bizarre insignia and garish colour schemes to bolster their pilot's morale. Lt. von Hippel of Jasta 5, who once miraculously crash-landed his D Va safely after the lower wing came away at 16,000 ft., had a fire-breathing black dragon emblazoned along the fuselage. Lt. Hermann Goring (later to become the infamous head of Hitler's Luftwaffe) led his Jasta 27 in a black fuselaged D V with nose and tail portions painted white. Richthofen was shot down in the D V 1177/17 on 6th July 1917 and later flew another, 4693/17, during the Battle of Cambrai. The leader of Jasta 21, von Schleich, was known as the "Black Knight" because of his all-black Albatros D V, which he flew on the French Front. The Albatroses of Jasta 21 shot down forty-one French aircraft during September 1917. And so the ubiquitous Albatros lighters continued to fly on all Fronts. Manufacture was finally discontinued in 1918 in favour of the Fokker D VII, but they remained in action in considerable numbers right up to the end of hostilities. In September 1918 some 327 D V and D Vas were in front-line service - the peak figure was in May 1918, when 131 D Vs and 928 D Vas were with the various Jastas in all theatres of operations.

N.B. One Albatros D Va serial 7117; 17 experimentally fitted with a 185 h.p. B.M.W. IIIa achieved a ceiling of 10,500 m. on 6th February 1918, although this was with an uncorrected barograph.

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

ALBATROS D V Germany

At the same time as the OAW received its first contract for the D III in April 1917, Albatros received an order from Idflieg for 200 DVs, referred to as "lightened D IIIs". The DV retained the wings of the DIII (although the aileron cables were led through the upper wing), was powered by the high-compression Mercedes D IIIa with oversize cylinders and offering 180 hp, and mounted twin 7,92-mm synchronised LMG 08/15 machine guns. The D V experienced a recurrence of the wing failures (previously suffered by the D III) as early as May 1917. Four hundred more D Vs were ordered, nevertheless, in May 1917 and 300 in July, after which the Idflieg terminated production in favour of the D Va which reverted to the D III-type aileron control cable arrangement and was reinforced throughout. The last Albatros fighter to see operational use in World War I, the D Va arrived at the Front in October 1917, by which time 1,612 fighters of this version had been ordered. Service of the D Va peaked in May 1918 when there were 928 (plus 131 D Vs) in operational use.

A German "Circus" of Albatros single-seaters getting ready to start. Note the "shugar-stick" stripes, by way of camouflage, of the machine near the right end of the picture.The Albatros DV entered service in May 1917 to counter British types such as the SE5; although it was not as promising as expected, it was still ordered in large numbers and remained in use to the end of the war. Powered by a 180hp or 200hp Mercedes DIIIa it had a top speed of 116mph (187kph).

The Albatros DV was a follow-on to the successful DIII in response to the improvements in Allied fighter types; it entered service in May 1917 and by mid summer was appearing in increasing numbers. This captured example is formerly 1102/17 and is seen at Lympne in August 1917.

Early in 1917, while the Albatros D IV saga was still unravelling, as dealt with above, the firm produced its first D.V. As it transpired, while adequate and built in massive numbers, this design served to prove the law of diminishing returns. In essence, the Albatros DV employed exactly the same wings as the D III, along with the tailplane and elevator, all of which were interchangeable between the two fighters. Initially, even the fin and rudder were identical, but later fin area was increased, leading the to the D V's characteristically rounded rudder trailing edge. Married to these components, Albatros took the new, semi-monocoque fuselage developed for their D IV and, for good measure, further lowered the upper wing in relation to the fuselage in order to yet further improve the pilot's forward visibility. The engine in early D Vs remained the 160hp Mercedes D III, replaced in the structurally strengthened D Va with the 185hp D IIIa. Both the German Air Ministry and Albatros appeared happy with the resulting machine, despite the fact that its top level speed of 116mph at 3,280 feet, or for that matter the fighter's agility, were little improved compared with the D III. Further, the high speed lower wing flutter of the D III was still present, restricting high speed flight and, therefore, limiting the combat pilot's primary option of diving away from trouble. The armament comprised the standard twin 7.92mm Spandaus. Initial deliveries of D Vs were made to the front in July 1917 and rapidly built up from that point on, with Albatros output being joined by that of their Austrian subsidiary OAW During the autumn of 1917, DV production was switched to the strengthened and more powerful D Va. No precise production totals have survived for the DV and Va, but the knowledge that at their respective peaks of November 1917 and May 1918, no less than 526 D Vs along with 986 examples of the DVa were in service, would, allowing for attrition and spares, indicate a minimum overall build exceeding 2,200 machines. There is reason to believe that all 80 Jastas operating in the spring of 1918 had, at least, some D V or Va on their strength. The early DV depicted carries the Bavarian Lion motif of Hpt Eduard flitter von Schleich, leader of Jasta 21, who survived the war with a Pour Le Merite ('Blue Max') and a confirmed 35 'kills'. The pilot's headrest, seen in this image, was not particularly favoured by operational pilots and was soon removed from most machines.

Bruno Loerzer, an Oberleutnant at the time this picture was taken, when commanding Jasta 26 of JG 2. Born on 22 January 1891, Loerzer is seen standing besides his Albatros D V. Awarded the Order Pour Le Merite, Germany's highest military honour on 12 February 1918, Loerzer went on to become a Hauptmann, the equivalent to a US Captain or RAF Squadron Leader, when promoted to lead JG 3. Loerzer ended his war with an accredited 44 'kills', placing him 8th in the ranking of German leading air aces.

Destined to head the Luftwaffe in World War II, Hermann Goring is pictured here, second from left, with his newly delivered Albatros D V. At this time Goring was serving with Jasta 27 and had just scored his fifth 'kill'. He was to finish the war as a Hauptmannn, commanding JG I, the post he took over following the death of Baron Manfred von Richthofen. Goring was a holder of the Pour Le Merite and had 22 confirmed victories.

Lt Schlomer poses nonchalantly beside his Albatros DVa in the late summer of 1917. Schlomer had became leader of Jasta 5, following the death of Oblt Berr at Noyelles on 8 April 1917. Schlomer, himself was to be killed just over a year and a month later, on 31 May 1918.

An interesting frontal aspect on the Albatros D Va, believed to have belonged to a Bavarian Jasta and which from the presence of wheel chocks and the mechanic holding the tail down is seen undergoing engine running tests.

Oberleutnant Freidrich Ritter von Roth, seen here standing beside his Albatros D Va, was born of aristocratic parents on 29 September 1893. Having volunteered at the outbreak of war, 'Fritz', as he was popularly known, joined a Bavarian artillery regiment and was almost immediately promoted to sergeant. Wounded in action soon after, Roth was commissioned on 29 May 1915 while still recuperating. Transferring to the flying service and pilot training towards the close of 1915, Roth was severely injured in a flying accident that delayed his gaining his wings until early 1917. Roth's first operational experience was gained with Fl Abt 296, a two seater unit, then based at Annelles, as part of the 1st Army, which he joined on 1 April 1917. Roth moved to fighters in the autumn of 1917 and after a busy closing quarter of 1917 and early 1918, during which he had served with Jastas 34 and 23, he was given command of Jasta 16 on 24 April 1918. Meanwhile, Roth's first confirmed 'kill' was made on 25 January 1918 and involved the dangerous business of downing a heavily defended balloon. As balloons were considered a vital tactical reconnaissance tool by both sides and were always heavily defended, it is a measure of the man that Roth appears to have subsequently specialized in attacking balloons, being credited with no less than 20 of them out of his total 28 confirmed vicories. Dispirited by the impact of the Armistice and the dissolution of his beloved Air Service, Freidrich Ritter von Roth took his own life on New Year' Eve, 31 December 1918.

The other side of the coin. To counterbalance the romantic view of air combat is this image of the debris of what had been Oblt Hans Berr's Albatros D V, in which he was killed south of Noyelles on 6 April 1917. Berr had been the first commanding Officer of Jasta 5 and died with a confirmed score of 10 victories.

Transporting a German aeroplane . (Albatros) to the front. A single-seater Albatros, with 8-cylinder 250 h.p. Mercedes engine, and geared-down airscrew. This type has been replaced by the D IV type with a 6-cylinder 260 h.p. engine.

Engine change at Aertrycke. The reliability of aero-engines increased steadily as the war progressed and by 1918 the 165hp Mercedes six-cylinder water-cooled engine was relatively trouble-free. Such mechanical failings as did appear were usually rectified without having to take the engine out of the airframe. A serious problem is indicated here; even the wing radiator has been removed. While the replacement engine for this Albatros D Va of I Marinefeldjagdstaffel hangs on the block and tackle of the sheer-legs, the unserviceable motor on its temporary transport (which uses aeroplane wheels) is at the right, beside the cradle for moving the engine to the overhaul shop.

AT THE ENEMY AIRCRAFT VIEW ROOMS. - Although not including all the captured German aeroplanes, this drawing gives a good idea of the excellent arrangement of these trophies, the detail construction of which can be readily inspected owing to the machines being partly stripped as shown. Commencing with the machine in the foreground, the aeroplanes are: Albatros Scout D.V., Albatros Scout D.I., D.F.W.-Aviatik, L.V.G, Albatros Fighter, and Rumpler Fighter.